NEW DELHI: KGI Securities' analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, widely regarded as one of the most reliable source of information on Apple products, has sent a new research note to investors on the upcoming Apple iPhone. Widely dubbed as iPhone 8, the models to be released in 2017 will be the company's tenth anniversary editions.

In the new note, Kuo has made predictions about the smartphone's pricing and design. According to Kuo's estimate, the iPhone 8 will have a starting price of $1000 (Rs 70,000 approximately). The increase in the starting price is said to be due to the jump in production costs by up to 50-60%.

The starting price is in sync with an earlier report that came this month from Fast Company. The news report too claimed the price of the smartphone to be above $1000. The increase in cost is largely said to be due to the devices coming with an OLED display.

As for the design, corroborating with recent reports, Kuo says in the note that the 'iPhone 8' will ditch the Touch ID-integrated Home button. Instead, the company will use something called a 'function' area, which will include an integrated fingerprint sensor.

The prediction goes in line with a
patent recently granted to Apple
, cementing speculations that the next iPhone may ditch its circular Touch ID sensor and have one integrated directly into the display.

In the note by Kuo, shared by
Apple
Insider website, the iPhone 8 is mentioned as having a 5.8-inch OLED panel in a form factor similar to the 4.7-inch iPhone 7. Furthermore, it has been mentioned that the actual active display area will be around 5.15-inch (diagonal).

Apple iPhone turns ten: 7 little-known facts about the smartphone

Apple iPhone turns ten: 7 little-known facts about the smartphone

Apple fans, one of your loved devices turned 10 recently. It was almost 10 years ago, on January 9 2007, that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs introduced the very first iPhone to the world. Jobs showcased the smartphone at an event in San Francisco, US.

At the launch, Apple said that iPhone combines three products -— a revolutionary mobile phone, a widescreen iPod with touch controls, and a breakthrough internet communications device with desktop-class email, web browsing, searching and maps—into one small and lightweight handheld device.

Over the years Apple smartphones have become almost a 'cult device' with a loyal fan following across the globe. The euphoria that the launch of iPhones sees in the US and some other countries year-after-year continues to be unmatched.

Here are some little-known facts about one of the world's 'favourite' smartphone.

​First iPhone never launched in India

Apple's very-first iPhone was never launched in India. The first-generation iPhone was first launched in the US only.

In November 2007, the iPhone went on sale in UK, Germany and France. The first iPhone to launch in India was iPhone 3G in August 2008. Initially, iPhone 3G came bundled with Vodafone and Airtel network in the country.

Vodafone sold smartphone at Rs 31,000 for 8GB model, and Rs 36,100 for 16GB model.

There was no App Store when the iPhone launched

Love Apple's App Store? However, the famed App Store was not there when the first iPhone launched in 2007. Also, App Store was the first place to legally download an app.

​Apple was sued for calling its smartphone iPhone

Cisco sued Apple soon after Steve Jobs introduced the smartphone in January 2007 at MacWorld. The networking giant filed a lawsuit in Federal District Court for Northern California seeking an injunction against Apple for using the name iPhone.

iPhone topped Time magazine's list of most-influential gadgets of all time

In 2016, TIME Magazine released its list of the 50 most influential gadgets of all time. At the top of the list is iPhone.

According to TIME, iPhone is the most influential gadget as it "fundamentally changed our relationship to computing and information."

Apple has sold over 1 billion iPhones

In June 2016, Apple iPhone sales hit 1-billion mark -- a figure roughly equivalent to seventh of the world's population. CEO Tim Cook announced the company achieving this milestone at an employee meeting in Cupertino.

"iPhone has become one of the most important, world-changing and successful products in history. It's become more than a constant companion. iPhone is truly an essential part of our daily life and enables much of what we do throughout the day," said Cook.

Retina screens are said to be the most expensive part of iPhones

Retina screen is said to be the most expensive part of iPhone as per numerous teardowns.

The teardown of the Apple's latest flagship iPhone, iPhone 7, by IHS too reveals it as the most-expensive component.

As per BoM (bill of materials) cost estimated by IHS, it costs $43.

iPhone contributes to almost 60% of the company's revenue

iPhone has been one of the biggest contributors to the company's revenue since it went on sale in June 2007.

In the last quarter (Q4 2016), iPhone sales contributed 60% of the company's revenue.

This was followed by services, whose contribution stood at 14%.

The remaining bottom portion will be used for virtual buttons. Apple may also use always-on, static system controls into iOS.
Since there won't be a Touch ID in the iPhone 8, Apple might use other security features as well. One of the features is said to be facial recognition technology using 3D laser scanning.
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